ALL: American Media Does Not Understand the Catholic Church

Washington, DC—“It is clear from the near hysteria of the last two days that the media in the US has no knowledge of Church procedures,” said Judie Brown, president of American Life League.

“A preliminary report of discussions in a meeting of 200 bishops is being treated as a proclamation of Church teaching. What is happening in Rome is just part of the normal discussion that is always taking place within the Church. There has been no new proclamation and absolutely no change in Church teaching,” Brown continued.

The current discussions are expected to last for another year and, even then, may not result in any statement from the Church.

Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League, stated, “Current pundits might do well to remember the 1960s when a papal study group recommended the Church allow the use of the birth control pill. Not only was that recommendation rejected by Pope Paul VI, he even issued an encyclical condemning all birth control use by Catholics.”

Paul VI will be beatified in Rome this Sunday and the synod fathers gave firm support to his landmark encyclical Humanae Vitae in several presentations.

Judie Brown issued a commentary Tuesday explaining what has and has not happened at the synod. This commentary can be viewed here.

American Life League was co-founded in 1979 by Judie Brown, a three-time appointee to the Pontifical Academy for Life. ALL is the oldest national Catholic pro-life education and advocacy organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.ALL.org or call 540-659-4171.